National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

DreamWorks Animation released Shrek in May 2001, marking a turning point in computer-animated feature filmmaking. Directed by Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, the film subverted fairy tale conventions with irreverent humor and genuine heart, earning the inaugural Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Its blend of pop culture references and classical storytelling resonated across generations and established DreamWorks Animation as a serious rival to Pixar.

This cell, titled Shrek, captures frames from an interior scene featuring Shrek alongside Snow White. The strip presents an unusual viewing experience, as the middle frame appears inverted, rendering both characters upside down before the sequence rights itself in the following frame. A partial shadow along one edge adds character to this intimate moment between the two figures.